The National Football Supporters’ Association (NAFSA) has confirmed it will lead a protest on the 5 March’s Soweto Derby; when Orlando Pirates host Kaizer Chiefs.
This as fans want to return to stadiums after a two-year absence. Currently government allows 2000 for outdoor events, PSL says it cannot work with that number and wants a % of stadium capacity.
“NAFSA would like to invite all Supporters of the beautiful game to a Peaceful Protest to demand the PSL and The Ministry of Sports to allow fans back to the stadiums. The Protest will be held on the 5th of March 2022 at Orlando Stadium at 11:00,” the association announced via social media.
According to NASFA’s acting CEO Siyabulela Loyilane, the group has been patient with the authorities but time has passed with no action taken. “We have written to the sports ministry several times, and met SAFA and the ministry several times. We wrote to the PSL but we didn’t even get a response from them,” Loyilane told Times Live on Thursday.
“None of them are coming to the party or even showing us the plans they have to get fans back to stadiums. There have been so many promises made, but with no delivery.”
After deciding to launch a protest when Pirates host Chiefs next month, Loyilane says that the government has some big questions to answer.
“When they launched the idea of supporters vaccinating, some supporters were quite encouraged to get vaccinated to go back to sports and the next thing stadiums didn’t open. So you’re selling people false promises.
“It’s also concerning that the sports minister said this week they will consider opening stadiums when the country is 70% vaccinated. Then he turned around and said in three weeks’ time they might have good news for supporters,” Loyilane added.
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